Assessment appeal services

Most localities determine your property tax burden based on an ad valorem assessment of the property's value. If you you get an unwanted surprise in the mail stating your assessment is increasing, you may have good reason to differ with the County assessor. With a proposed increase in the assessment, you can expect an increase in your real estate tax bill will arrive within the next year. Sometimes, matters like this can be solved with a phone call. However, if after discussing your assessment with your local taxing authority you still feel your property was overvalued, an independent, third-party appraiser is often your best bet in proving your case.

There are as many different procedures for appealing assessments as there are property taxing districts, so it's important to enlist the help of a professional appraisal firm that's experienced and trained in the ins and outs of your particular jurisdiction.

Call Consolidated Appraisal, Inc. and put our experience to work for you when challenging your property tax assessment in Cook County.

Please note: It makes sense to do your own research before determining whether to go forward with a property assessment appeal, especially before you make the decision to hire a professional appraiser. However, according to the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP), we are not allowed to take "shortcuts" -- i.e., your research -- and use it on its face as part of our independent evaluation. When you hire us for an assessment appeal, you're commissioning an independent, third-party professional appraisal report. As such we do our own evaluation, beginning to end. If you're right that your property has been overvalued, an independent report such as ours will be even more persuasive than any other evidence you can marshal on your own. 

In nearly all assessment appeal cases, we strongly recommend engaging the services of a competent attorney who specializes in this type of legal work to present your case to the assessor, board of review and property tax appeal board if applicable. If you wish to contact an experienced assessment appeal attorney, call Don @ (773) 525-7070 to discuss your specific property and I will refer names and contact information of a couple of attorneys who I have done business with over the years.